The document provides an overview of photography skills, experiences, definitions, composition principles, lighting, perspectives, and storytelling techniques. It discusses self-taught vs trained skills, personal vs organizational vs advocacy photography experiences, classic and postmodern photography definitions, elements of composition like subjects and framing, types of lighting, wide to close perspectives, and using photos, captions, and multimedia to tell stories. Ethical practices of accuracy, consent, and avoiding bias and manipulation are also covered.

1. Presented by Matet L. Norbe

2.  Let’s Level Off
◦ Skills
 Self-Taught- read books/articles on photography and
practice hands-on
 Trained- participated in workshops and trainings
 Basic-Camera, Composition, Lighting
 Advanced- Specialization in Types of Photography
◦ Experiences
 To which purpose is your photography usually
intended for?
 Personal
 Organizational (activities)
 Advocacy (informational, educational, campaign)

4. “painting with light”.
classic definition

5. “a selective expression of one’s
subjective perception of
the world through the means
of a camera” -postmodern definition

6. None of the two definitions require
Technical Perfection.
There is no camera that will prevent its
user from taking good pictures.
You don’t need a good camera to take
good pictures.

7. photo taken by Manuel Domes
using point and shoot camera

8. using mobile phone’s camera

9.  What is photographic composition?
◦the act of combining and forming relationships
between things to create a whole shared by
individual parts

10. Elements, Principles and Strategies for Good
Photographic Compositions

11. Principle:
◦Every element in the photographic space (i.e.
the picture frame) should add to the picture
& not distract from its meaning.

12. “Negative space” can
be used to emphasize
the uniqueness of an
isolated subject.

13. The figure (main subject) should be clearly distinguished from its background.
Photo by Manuel Domes

14. Focus on details and
look for eye-catchers.
Eyes, faces or the human form in
general

15. Eyes, faces or the human form in general

17.  Repetitive patterns

18. Geometric forms (lines,
shapes, curves) can be
subjects of their own
or can emphasize the
placement of a subject
in the frame.

19. as leading lines
(leading the observer to the subject)
Photo by Manuel Domes

20. As a spacial divider
which divides
pictures into areas.
Photo taken from www.shariblog.com

21. as a framing element
at the picture borders or
around a subject

22.  Common geometric forms in photography:
triangles
www.ohnopatrick.com
diagonals
www.richworks.in

23. Arcs

24. Photography is
“
50% photographer
40% light and
10% equipment.”

25. Direct/Harsh Light
shot at mid-day

26. Ambient/Diffused Light
shot at early morning

27. Available Light

28. Artificial Light

29. Wide, Medium, Close Perspectives
 serve to include different amounts of
context in the surrounding of the
main subject
(a lot, some, none)
 Most environmental portraits are shot
at wide to medium perspective

30. photo taken by Manuel Domes

32. photo taken by Manuel Domes

34.  Eye level, high angle, low angle shots
◦lead to different
effects for the viewer
of the picture

35. as an equal

36. as an equal

37. as an observer
photo taken by Manuel Domes

38. The
viewer
can feel
like a
child or
as a
part of
the

39.  Since photography is a static
medium, photographers need to
find a way to instill as sense of
movement in their pictures.
Visible movement can be caused by either:
Camera movement
or
Subject movement

40. photo taken by Manuel Domes

42.  Timing goes back to theory of Henri Cartier-
Bresson who conceptualized the:
“Decisive Moment”
refers to the coming together of the optimal composition
with the optimal moment of action within the frame
Typically, these moments can be looks, actions, or emotions
of people, or something curious/unexpected happening.

45. photo taken by Manuel Domes

46. photo taken by Renier John Gahum

47.  An interesting and clearly identifiable subject
should be the precondition to good
photography.
 Sometimes static photos (especially
landscape/street/architecture) gain by the
inclusion of a human subject which provides
a more interesting entry point

49. photo taken by Manuel Domes

50. Storytelling with Pictures

52. … and the reality of James Blake Miller
-suffers from post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD)
-threatened his wife with a shotgun
-other violent episodes
-medically discharged from army
- estranged from his family
Note: Photographers should be
aware of their own subjectivity.

53. A photo captures a single moment in time –
we don„t know what happened before or
after it was taken.

54. A garbage-filled cart is waiting to be picked up at Cotabato City’s solid waste management office
the streetside of Cotabato City. collects the garbage for disposal .
Storytelling can be enhanced by creating
series of pictures or by providing captions.

55. Photo Stories/ Series/ Essays
telling a story through
more than a single picture

56. Multimedia Story
supporting a photo through audio
and video
giving a “voice” to the subject

57. Caption
- provides a background
to what‟s happening in
the picture
“A picture says more than a thousand words…”

58. Ten-year old Inday rides the water buffalo cart with her younger sister, Nene
to bring home food from the local market in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.

59. Write captions in the present tense.
This enhances the immediacy of the pictures they accompany.
Young activists lead May 1 mobilization in Cotabato City.

60. Use specifics rather than
generalities.
Instead of using “a young woman”, it is
better to say “a woman, 27” as it is
more descriptive and specific.

61.  The caption
should describe
the event as
shown in the
picture, not the
event itself.
 Viewers will be
puzzled if the
caption
describes
action they do
Tribal spiritual leader, Abay Rendaw leads the ritual ceremony
not see. of the 6th Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Summit in Nuro, Upi,
Maguindanao.

62.  Make sure the caption is accurate. Double-check the
spelling of names and the factual information contained in the caption.
 Update the information. Because there is a lapse between
the time a picture of an event is taken and the time a viewer sees the picture
in the newspaper, care should be taken to update the information in the
caption.
 Omit references to the photo. Because the readers
know you are referring to the photograph, omit phrases such as “is
pictured,” “is shown” and “the picture above shows.”

63.  Donʼt tell the obvious. If the person in the picture is pretty or
attractive, that fact will be obvious from the picture. The picture will tell
whether a person is smiling. It may be necessary, however, to tell why he
or she is smiling.
 Donʼt editorialize. A writer doesn’t know whether someone is
happy or troubled. The caption that described the judge as “weary but
ready “when he arrived at court on the opening day of trial must have made
readers wonder how the writer knew the judge was weary.
 Be exact. In local pictures, the addresses of the persons shown may
be helpful. If youngsters appear in the picture, they should be identified by
names, ages, names of parents and addresses.

64.  Credit the photographer. If the picture is exceptional,
credit may be given to the photographer in the caption, perhaps with a brief
description of how he or she achieved the creation. On picture pages
containing text matter, the photographer’s credit should be displayed as
prominently as the writer’s.

65. Pictures without captions. Although pictures normally carry
captions, mood or special-occasion pictures sometimes appear without them
if the message is obvious from the picture itself.

66. The National Press Photographers Association
(NPPA) Sample Code of Ethics (Excerpt)
Visual journalists and those who manage visual news productions are
accountable for upholding the following standards in their daily work:
1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the
representation of subjects.
2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo
opportunities.

67.  3. Be complete and provide context when
photographing or recording subjects. Avoid
stereotyping individuals and groups.
Recognize and work to avoid presenting
one's own biases in the work.
 4. Treat all subjects with respect and
dignity. Give special consideration to
vulnerable subjects and compassion to
victims of crime or tragedy.

68.  5. While photographing subjects do not
intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to
alter or influence events.
 6. Editing should maintain the integrity of
the photographic images' content and
context. Do not manipulate images or add
or alter sound in any way that can mislead
viewers or misrepresent subjects.

69.  7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward
them materially for information or
participation.
 8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or
compensation from those who might seek
to influence coverage.
 9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts
of other journalists.

70. Capture that story!